Railroad-spike.



I PATENTED JULY 16, 1907.

H'. 1). FORD! RAILROAD SPIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, 1906.

HARRY D. FORD, OF CARTERSVILLE, GEORGIA.

RAILROAD-SPIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1907.

Application filed March 28, 1906. $orial No. 308,567.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY D. FORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oartersville, in the county of Bartow, State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad- Spikes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. I

This invention has relation to spikes for securing railway rails to ties.

' It is the object of the invention to provide such improvements as will hold the spike, when driven home, from being withdrawn to any extent without action for that special purpose.

The nature of the invention comprises a spike having a score or groove made around it just below its head, or it may be, and by preference, is alone along opposite sides, or on three sides below the head to receive a band or collar from which there extends upward a flat piece of steel or other metal of which the band may be formed, bent over and flattened down upon the head of the spike, and another piece that extends downward in the form of a sliver or tongue that may be driven into the railway tie as a clenching element or part of the spike, all as will be hereinafter more fully described in' connection with the annexed drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to which reference is to be had.

Of the said drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my improved spike detached and provided with the various improved parts and features before the same'is driven. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the spike just below the head. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the retaining device.

The same figures of reference show the same parts or features wherever they occur.

The improvements are shown as applied to a railway rail spike for securing the rail to the tie, as before stated, since they are highly useful in that connection, though it is obvious that they may be used wherever found desirable.

In the drawings, 5 designates the shank of the spike, 6' the head, and 7 the point.

' In carrying out my invention I may employ one of several forms or features shown, as will appear from the following explanation:

.Iust below the head 6 I form a groove or score 8 in the spike of suitable depth that may extend simply along the two opposite sides as shown, or along the sides and front. Again, a groove may be formed over the top of the head and down the back for a considerable distance or from the head down the back for a short distance when it will disappear. The grooves, however, may be entirely omitted or varied to a greater or less degree from what has been indicated.

9 designates a band or clasp that is fitted in the score or groove around the spike below the head or be welded or otherwise secured thereto; and from the back of the band 9 there is a flat piece 10 that extends over and upon the back of the head, fitting a groove 12 formed therein, while 11 designates a sliver or tongue starting from a groove in the back or not and extending down the back from the collar.

The spike may be made from steel and the parts to fit the grooves or scores of the spike may be made from the same metal and be placed in position and pressed into the shape wanted, or they may be cast or forged all in one piece, as the state of the art may call for as best or most desirable.

' In driving the spike the strip or flat piece 10 will be forced into its groove formed for it in the top of the head and flattened down smooth, keeping the spike securely from rising or being drawn up from its place. At the same time, the point of the sliver, by reason of its being beveled, will be deflected from the course of the shank 5 in the tie and be turned out in a different course, clenching the spike in place. In this same operation the collar or band 9 will be pressed into its groove or score making it one, as it were, with the shank of the spike below the head.

Under the described construction it is obvious that the sliver or tongue will become a secure clenching means, holding the shank of the spike firmly in place,

while the several features connected with the tongue or sliver will operate to keep the said parts together and the spike in its position so that it cannot vary or allow the said parts with which it is in any way constructively related to leave their position.

By forming the tongue or clenching sliver, collar and connections separate from the spike proper, it can readily be formed exactly as desired and beveled at its point just as wanted, so that in driving it can he made to take exactly the course it is desired that it should take to clench it. This, in practice, is important.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. A railway-rail spike comprising in its construction a head and shank, a score or groove formed in the shank be low the head, and a clenching tongue or sliver having, a collar at its upper end fitted in said groove, with the end of the tongue or sliver beveled, whereby in driving the collar may be firmly forced into the score making it practically one with the shank of the spike and the sliver diverted from a direct course and made to form a clenching means for the shank of the spike.

2. A railway spike comprising a scored neck, back and head, a tongue or sliver provided with a collar and flat piece to fit the groove on the head, whereby, in driving,

the collar may he forced into the score of the neck and 10 the flat pieces into the grooves on top of the head and back, as described.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

HARRY D. FORD.

Witnesses:

JAMES CALDWELL, SAML. F. MILAM. 

